Avatar: The Last Airbender: The First Four
by Xeaninja
Summary: Ever wonder when bending the elements began, and how the Avatar ever came to exist? Follow the First Four as they develop relationships and forge the path for future benders. Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender
1. A Meeting

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender_

_There once was a time before the lands separated; before there were the Four Nations, or even benders. This giant Pangaea was a home to many friendships and rivalries between many people. Only after the First Four began to unravel the true potential of themselves and their surroundings did the lands began to part, and so the people could set themselves apart from others. But it is not the separation of the elements that we are interested in, it's the bonds of the First Four that would forge the relationships of their later generations that we must watch. It is here that the benders began..._

Naga carefully steps over another large root sticking out of the light soil, just waiting to grab him. He brushes past another fern, too. Light is visible through the brush up ahead. Reaching a hand out to get a glimpse of what's behind all of the foliage, another hand reaches out at his and pulls him through.

"Ahh!" he screams, his semi-deep voice cracking. Naga falls to his knees in the sand, nearly tipping all the way in, as to do a face-plant. He puts his hands down to the cool, bright sand to stabilize himself before looking up to see Raena's face directly in his.

"Ahh!" he yells again, falling back onto his rear. Raena laughs. "Need a hand, big guy?" she asks, extending her arm out. Naga slowly reaches out and takes her hand. She pulls him up almost too fast, since he fumbles when he gets to his feet. "Are you going to be alright?" asks Raena, slapping Naga on the back. He winces and stands up straight. "Yeah, I think I'll be just fine," he says, checking his feet one last time.

"Are you two ever going to hurry up and quit messing around? I still have something to show you!" yells Yani, waving them over from a circle of long logs. Kyra is sitting down, staring out into the sea. Raena nudges Naga forward with her elbow. "I'll watch your back, bud," she teases. Naga sighs and marches on to Yani and Kyra.

Naga watches his step as he maneuver's into the circle of logs to find a seat. Raena follows behind with a long stick, pulling the leaves and other little twigs off of it. From here, the forest looks to be a totally different world. The trees loom over the sand like a giant wave of green, but suspended so that it never crashes. Also, the water is so much more bright and awe-inspiring from this distance. The sun glimmers off the water in such a way that the waves seem golden, and the sand like a gentle silver: blinding, yet beautiful.

"Alright! Now, if you'll all cast your attention to the little green log in the middle!" says Yani, her voice still very loud. Naga and Raena look at Yani, then at the log. Kyra is still mesmerized by the sun's reflection off of the water. A passing cloud pulls Kyra back to reality, a shadow swallowing up the beach for only a second.

"The other day, I went with my father to some meeting with other men. They were all talking about weird ideas that didn't really make sense, or something," begins Yani. "They were arguing over what things are made of, pretty much." Raena looks up, "And what did they think?" Yani folds her arms and smirks. "I was just about to get to that. Well first, Babo, the one guy with the tea shop, thought that everything was made out of dirt."

Naga grabs his belly as he falls back, laughing hysterically. Raena gives him a blunt look and Naga sits back up abruptly, holding in his giggles. Raena turns back to Yani. "And what did they all think of that?" she asks.

Yani holds up her finger, as if she wasn't concerned with Naga's reaction. "Well, after he gave his reason, some people actually thought it was a pretty good idea." Naga chuckles, "And what reasoning would that be?" Raena gives Naga another look, this time punching the palm of her own hand. Naga quickly freezes where he sits, shutting his mouth.

"He said that he was put on duty at the cemetery at the shrine for the dead, and that he had to dig up a really old grave of somebody who died, like, a hundred years ago." She stops, as if recalling what he said again in her head. "Anyways," she continues, "When he dug down, all he found were a few bones. Everything else had been turned to dirt!"

"So you mean to tell me that I'm made of dirt, then, Yani?" asks Kyra, somewhat sarcastically. Yani grins, "I can never tell if you're serious or not, you know." She grabs a torch she had set aside behind her seat and places it against the log.

"No, Yaozi said something that everyone decided was a way better idea!" The moss on the bark was smoking already, yet no fire. "He brought a little green log before everyone and lit it on fire. He says everything is made up of four main things: earth, fire, water, and air."

Yani finally catches a bit of the wood on fire after a while, so she shoves the torch into the sand to put it out. "He said that the wood is of the earth, so it is earth. When it catches on fire, then water comes out." Sure enough, the green log had water coming out in little droplets. It was as though it were sweating. "Finally, the smoke that comes from the log goes into the sky and becomes our air."

Naga leans forward in fascination as Raena and Kyra stare at the log, thinking things over. "Seems logical, right?" asks Yani, sitting down finally. A large smile fills Naga's face. "So, basically, I can make it rain or something, right? Since I'm made of water, I should be able to right!" Naga says eagerly. Yani and the rest give him a confused stare. Naga's smile begins to fade.

"Just because you're made of the same thing, it doesn't mean you can control it," says Kyra plainly, switching his gaze back to the waves. Crushed, Naga puts his hands on his lap and looks down at his feet. Raena pats him on the back. "Sorry, bud. But that'd be cool, though, right?" says Raena encouragingly. "Yeah," Naga sighs.

Yani looks around the circle of her silent friends, then sighs, "Well, I thought you guys would be more impressed." She stands up and stretches. "I have to head back now or I won't make it for dinner." Raena nods and turns to Naga. "We should head back, too." Naga nods and stands up and begins trudging towards the forest next to Yani. Raena stands up, looking back at Naga and Yani before turning to Kyra. "You coming?" she asks. "Yeah, I'll head your way in a bit," he says without looking away from the sea. Raena just nods and chases after Yani and Naga.

Kyra studies his hands and squints. Then, he looks up at an oddly shaped cloud in the sky, fascinated by the outline of yellow as it passes before the sun. "Control the rain... You're crazy, Naga..," Kyra murmurs to himself.


	2. The Revelation

"I'm home!" yells Kyra into the small hut. He can hear someone rummaging through dishes on the other side of the wall, in the kitchen. He creeps forward and leans in to see who it is. "Welcome back, hun!" greets his mother enthusiastically. Kyra sighs in relief before spinning a small bag off of his back off and setting it on the table.

"What's in there?" asks his mother. Kyra carefully opens the bag and pulls out two mangoes. "Found them down by the beach earlier," he says, handing them to his mother, who is too surprised to speak. She gratefully takes the two reddened fruits and puts them in a small crate.

Kyra seats himself and stares at the candle on the table, passing his finger through the flame carefully. "Today, Yani told us what people are thinking of what the world is made of," he says, retracting his hand when he feels some of the heat finally. His mother hums and nods. "And what would that be?" she asks, placing a small pallet of berries and lettuce in front of Kyra. Kyra frowns, but goes back to his story with a half-smirk on his face, picking up the first berry and plopping it in his mouth.

"Well, apparently we're all made of fire, earth, air, and water. To prove it, she burned a small log of wood and said that the wood was the earth, the fire needed the earth to burn, water came out of the log, and then smoke came out and became our air. It was pretty cool, now that I think about it." Kyra's mother sits now, her plate filled with the same material as Kyra's. She nibbles on the lettuce a bit. "That does sound interesting," she says through clenched teeth as she continues biting the lettuce.

"Yeah," muses Kyra, messing with the little flame again. They both jump at the sound of the crude wooden door slamming. They freeze in their seats as the footsteps move about the small hut. They stop, and Kyra releases his breathe, only to have a hand reach around the corner and grab his collar.

"Hey, sonny! Got any food for me!" yells a large, muscular man with a small, rectangular beard. He pushes Kyra into the wall and turns to his mother. "Do you, Azalea?" he asks, pushing the table out of his path. He grabs the clothing on her shoulder, shaking her a bit.

"Hey, stop! We don't have anything for you here!" Kyra yells at the man. The man lets go of Kyra's mother and heads to the crate, pulling out the two mangoes. "Nothing for me, eh? I'd say you have just enough for a whole day!" The man grabs Kyra's rucksack off of the table and places the mangoes in before slinging the bag over his shoulder.

"Stop! That's not your food! You don't live here anymore!" yells Kyra at the man. His father snickers and turns to him. "I'll take what I want, when I want!" The flame on the candle flickers.

Kyra charges at his father, his fist high and ready to strike, but his attempt is futile. His arm is grabbed and Kyra is punched in his gut. Kyra lets loose a large groan before losing his breathe. "Don't mess with me, boy. You're lucky you have any food today." His father slides him back to the other end of the room with a small shove of his foot.

Kyra slams his hand on the floor and staggers back to his feet. His father grimaces at his attempt to get on his feet. "Don't even try, boy. We both know who'd win this fight." Again, another flicker of the flame on the candle. Kyra sets himself up, holding his head up high to show his courage.

"I'll do what I must," says Kyra, charging his father again. His father is quick to hold out his arm and stop Kyra, but this time, a small light flickers and follows behind Kyra. Though Kyra's punch is stopped, a ball of fire continues past and gets in a blow on his father's face. Kyra is freed from his father's grip as his father shuffles backwards, his eyes wide with fear and his left cheek somewhat pink from the burn. He darts out of the house with the bag, but doesn't say another word.

Kyra turns to his mother, who is pressed against the wall, her hand to her heart. "What just happened?" he asks her. She points at him slowly. "You... The fire followed you," she says, her voice faint. Kyra looks at his palms and reruns the events through his head again.

"That's impossible, though," he says in disbelief. He thinks back to what Naga had said, widening his eyes. "Naga! That's it!" he yells aloud.


	3. Demonstration

Raena pushes through the thick brush, instantly basking in the warm and inviting sunlight. She puts a hand over her eyes so she can see through the intense glare. Kyra is standing over in the large circle of logs, standing as he notices her presence.

"Hey! Over here!" he yells excitedly. Raena takes off her footwear and squints as she takes her hand away from her face. She prances gracefully through the sand like a kid towards Kyra. She's the first one to show up, besides Kyra.

"You're here early. I haven't quite set up yet," says Kyra apologetically. Raena flexes and grabs her muscle. "I'll help out, man!" she exclaims. Half of a laugh comes out of Kyra's mouth before he coughs to cover it up.

"Alright," he says, turning to the torch from the other day. "Could you light this again for me, then? I have to gather a few sticks for my demonstration." Raena shows she's puzzled in the expression on her face. "What're you going to do? Wave the torch around and catch the stick on fire?" Kyra smirks at this remark. "Hmm, something like that."

Raena moans and trudges off towards the forest for sticks. "When did you ever get so boring, Kyra?" she questions playfully. Kyra shrugs off her complaint and begins jabbing long sticks into the sand so they won't fall over. He stops and studies his palms for a moment, remembering what had happened the other day.

Rustling can be heard from the edge of the forest, and Kyra turns to see what it is. Yani pops out of the forest with a "Boo!" at Raena, who was just about to enter, yet Raena shows no visible reaction. The two exchange a few words, which Kyra can't hear, before Yani dashes to Kyra.

"Naga will be here any minute. He was too slow to keep up with me!" Yani smiles at her own prowess. Kyra jabs in another stick, then looks over at the forest, where rustling can be heard again. He sees Raena climbing a coconut tree just at the edge of the thick, green forest.

Naga pops his head out of some clustered ferns and scans the area before coming out into the open, releasing a sigh of relief. Taking advantage of his lost cautiousness, Raena pounces from the tree onto his back, knocking him down into the sand. "Ahh! No, not again!" whines Naga.

"Why do you guys pick on Naga so much?" asks Kyra, sorry for his good friend, who now has a face-full of sand. Yani shrugs and kicks a log. "I guess it's just because of how easy it is to mess with him," she says with a smile.

Kyra sighs and shoves a few more sticks in within the circle. Yani quits giggling when Naga manages to reach them. "Hey, Kyra." He pants, out of breath from his ambush. Raena follows just behind with the torch, now lit.

"Here," she says, handing him the torch. "I guess you'll be lighting all of these sticks now," she teases. Kyra places the torch in the middle of the circle of sticks, jamming it into the sand as well. The three all raise their eyebrows at this.

"Do you intend to light the sticks with the torch in the middle, Kyra," asks Yani. Kyra nods and gets into a sumo stance on the other side of the circle of logs. He inhales and exhales slowly. His friends stare at him for a minute as Kyra stands there, breathing loudly.

"Bwahahaha! What're you doing, Kyra!" laughs Yani. She grabs her stomach and leans forward, almost falling over. Naga has obviously zoned out by the glazed over look he has in his eyes, and Raena has closed her eyes and begun shaking her head. The fire on the torch flickers a bit.

Kyra becomes flustered and can feel the red building on his cheeks. Yani turns away and tries to calm herself by walking back toward the forest. Naga unconsciously begins heading back with her. Kyra can feel his self-confidence draining and his frustration with the fire building. Another flicker of the flame.

"Just what're you trying to do, Kyra? This has to be the strangest demonstration I've ever seen," says Raena, very monotone. Kyra, unable to suppress his anger with this further, yells out. The flame grows to be twenty times its original size, disintegrating all of the sticks within the circle. Both Kyra and Raena stand with their mouths wide open, staring into the pit of black sand and ash.

Yani and Naga turn around to see what the yelling is about. They run back when they notice the large puff of smoke lifting off into the air. "What happened!" yells Yani, her loud voice penetrating Raena and Kyra's shock. Raena points at Kyra, who pushes his jaw shut with his hand.

"What," Raena says softly, "Was that?" Kyra looks at the torch. "That was my demonstration," he says with a gulp. Raena's shock quickly shifts into excitement. "That was awesome! How'd you do it?" she asks excitedly. Naga and Yani look at each other, then at Kyra.

"What exactly happened?" asks Naga. Kyra swallows hard, even more flushed than before. He stands up, out of his sumo position, rubbing his arm nervously. "Well," he begins, "I felt as though I let you all down, so I got mad. Then, the fire just... Grew." He looks down at his palms, which are now sweaty, along with his brow.

"It was awesome! He just yelled, then the fire grew and burnt all the sticks to nothing!" exclaims Raena. She's resisting the urge to jump up and down with excitement. Naga looks at Kyra now with increased fascination.

"So, wait," Naga thinks aloud, "I was right about controlling the elements?" Raena gasps and punches Naga in the arm. "You're right! You did think of that!" "I regret I doubted you, Naga," Kyra apologizes, looking at the ground. "Yeah, sorry about that," says Yani, laughing, embarrassed.

Naga holds up his head with a large smile. "Alright! I'm going to make it rain!" he exclaims. He holds his hands to the sky, glaring at a cloud, daring it to let loose some rainfall. His arms grow tired and he slumps over where he stands. "That didn't work at all..."

Kyra chuckles a little. "No, I think it has more to do than sheer desire. Like I accidentally disturb fire when I get angry or frustrated." Naga nods and clenches his fists. "Alright," says Naga, "I'll find out what I need to do to make it rain!" He dashes off into the forest. Yani sighs. "I guess I'll go make sure he doesn't get lost. Let's all meet back here tomorrow and work this out," demands Yani loudly, chasing after Naga into the forest.

Raena is jittery and ecstatic with eagerness to begin as well. Kyra notices her unstable energy and gestures for her to run after the others. "That was amazing, Kyra! I'll meet up with you later!" she says just before running off.

Kyra sighs, relieved. He stares into the circle. "That went over differently than expected," he says before kicking some sand at the torch, putting out the hot ashes clinging to the top. He waltzes off to the forest, too.


	4. All That's Ridiculous and Tiring

Yani _thought_ she heard something near the shore. She pokes out of the forest to see Raena practicing different postures. She first tried standing on one leg and extending her arms out as though she could fly, then instantly summersault and do a headstand.

Yani bursts out into tears, clenching her stomach and gasping for air. Raena hears her friend's squeal near the forest and stops her exercises. Yani finally sucks in a large gulp of air before blurting it all out again. She falls on the ground and rolls uncontrollably, as though she's being fiercely tickled. Raena rolls her eyes, sighs, and sits down on a log while she waits for Yani to get up.

Yani stands up and fumbles on towards the circle, her chuckles stopping her every few steps. She finally sits at one of the logs and let's loose her last big laugh before calming into a large smile. Raena looks at Yani with dissatisfaction.

"You didn't have to laugh that hard, you know," she says. Yani giggles at the image left in her mind as she thinks back to her long laugh. Yani covers her mouth. "Sorry, but the way you were doing gymnastics out here was hilarious." She removes her hand, her smile intact.

"They weren't gymnastics. I was practicing a stance so I could control an element." Raena stands back up and enters 'sumo-mode'. Yani holds back her tears and covers her mouth again. "And just what are you trying to control?" asks Yani slowly.

Raena stands up when she notices Naga's head pop through the forest's edge. He waves at them when he notices that Raena hasn't hidden anywhere to try and scare him again. He runs over excitedly, yelling, "Hey! I think I'm onto something!" Raena and Yani both look at him in disbelief.

Naga runs past the circle and stands next to the small waves. His hands hover over the surface for just moment before he runs back to the circle. "Look at this!" he yells. Raena and Yani both gather around Naga's extended arms and look at his hands. A small droplet of water is suspended in air before him. Raena looks at him, unimpressed, while Yani sits on her log and holds her mouth closed again.

"Isn't it cool! I can control water!" Just as he says this, the droplet falls to the parched sand, disappearing in the blink of an eye. His complexion shifts to pink at his folly. Yani blurts out a ferocious laugh again. "What's so funny?" asks a voice from behind her. All three turn to see Kyra, who's face is blackened from ash.

"What happened! Tell me!" demands Raena. Kyra wipes what he can off of his face with his shirt. "I tried practicing some when I got home yesterday," he says, scratching at the bandage on his hand. They all stare in concern.

"I'm fine," he assures, "Just got a little out of control." Raena and Yani both fold their arms in disagreement, while Naga sits down on a log and continues pouting about his lost droplet.

In an attempt to prove his point, Kyra holds out his hand in front of the girls. A small, red wisp begins glowing just above his palm. They loosen their stance, but never drop their arms.

"So you can make fire out of thin air now?" asks Raena, holding back the temptation to spring forward and congratulate Kyra. She has to act angry right now. Kyra nods and clenches his fist, the wisp breaking in two and fading into the air.

"Is that how you got hurt?" asks Yani. She glances back and forth between his hand and his eyes. "No, no, no! That doesn't hurt at all!" explains Kyra. "I thought of something from a long time ago that ended up making me hurt myself. Nearly burnt down that traveling watermelons guy's cart, too." They don't even blink at his attempt to be a bit funny.

"What'd you think about?" asks Yani. Kyra shrinks, slouching forward, looking into the sand. Raena senses his unease. "So, how long did you practice, then?" she asks, changing the subject.

"All night," replies Kyra solemnly. Looking closer now, Raena can see now that there is dark under Kyra's eyes that didn't get wiped away with his shirt. She finally lets her arms fall and sighs.

"Well, do you think you have enough energy to at least help us begin?" she asks, somewhat regretting feeling mad now. Kyra yawns, stretches, then gives a thumbs up. All of them smile in sync, except Naga, who is still weeping silently.

Raena pats Naga on the back. "Come on, Naga. Quit fooling around. Kyra's going to help." Naga lets the pile of sand he's picked up slide through his fingers. "And how will you help us, exactly, Kyra?" grumps Naga, standing up. Kyra tilts his head at his friend.

"Well, first," he starts, yawning, "you need to know what kind of personality you have, I guess. Or just try to link an emotion to what brings out the best in your ability to control the element." He points at the water beyond Naga's shoulders.

"Water flows, like rivers. Hmm..." Kyra ponders what could be linked to rivers or a flow of emotions. Naga looks up at the sky for a moment before snapping his fingers. "I've got it!" he exclaims, excited.

Naga dashes for the water, splashing into it a few feet deep. He holds his hands over the water again, returning with another droplet, this one a tad bigger than the last. He has the small liquid orb shape into a thin, round sheet of water as big around as Naga's head.

"I think you have to be happy," says Naga, a big smile on his face. "Happiness spreads and flows from one person to the next with ease." Kyra raises his eyebrows.

"How'd you come up with that idea?" questions Yani. Naga chuckles a bit. "I thought of what my Gran-Gran used to always say to me: _Atlas Carp may not make the world go round, but it sure is yummy!"_ Kyra, Raena, and Yani all stare at him in confusion.

"It made me happy!" says Naga. A large "Oh!" emanates from the three as they try to organize this information. The sheet of water falls to the ground, leaving the shape of the disc in the sand for just a moment.

Raena stretches and stands in the middle of the circle. "Alright, I guess it's my turn to try, then!" she exclaims, just as eager as before to control the elements. "What're you trying to control?" asks Kyra. Raena shrugs. "Any of them."

Raena begins stomping on the sand, punching the air, running to and from the water, flailing her arms around, and yelling, but with no success. She quickly runs out of breathe and sits in the center of the circle, her friends all covering their mouths with their hands.

She looks up at them tiredly. "What're you all snickering at?" she pants. Yani and Naga both walk towards the forest and explode with laughter. Kyra holds out his hand to help Raena up.

"Don't worry. You'll get there soon enough," he assures. She takes his hand to get up, then begins again.


	5. Dishonest Self

Light peers over the horizon, bouncing off the lush green below. A cool, gentle breeze passes over the landscape, rippling through the waves of tall grass. The cool sneaks in through a window, tickling Yani's nose.

Yani opens her eyes, extends her arms and legs in all directions, and tears up as she yawns loudly. She idles on her mat for a moment, still waking up on the inside. A piece of paper by her hand wakes her from her internal slumber.

She picks up the paper, crumpling it. Her eyes scan the floor around her. Several blank, white rectangles cover the floor. She sits up and twists around to look behind her: Just more papers.

"This room isn't getting any cleaner like this," mutters Yani. She stands up with another big stretch, then waves her arms in an 'S' pattern. The papers seem to magically float into a pile in the corner of the room. She attempts a grin, but her facial nerves are still half-asleep.

"I'll get back to that later," she tells herself. She walks to the doorway of her room, the warm scent of food filling the air, pulling her further from her drowsiness. The floorboards creak as she sneaks towards the room to the right. Peering around the corner, she sees a woman with long black hair at a primitive-looking kettle.

"I can hear you, Yani," states the woman. Yani sighs and walks into the small yet open room. A few small cabinets, a wooden table and a couple of wooden chairs are all that fill the room. The woman turns from the table where the soup is heating up to see Yani.

"Good morning, sweetheart!" she says. Yani smiles at her mother, easing over to give her a hug. Yani looks up into her mom's ocean-blue eyes. "You should let me make breakfast," she says. Her mother smiles. "That's very thoughtful of you, but I can still do some things, at least."

Yani frowns, then looks past her mother at the big pot of boiling broth and other goodies. Her mother steps aside, letting Yani pass to get her food. Yani fills up a bowl to the rim with the soup. She slurps loudly as she begins shoveling it into her mouth with her chopsticks.

"It's been a while since you've been out with your friends, Yani. Is something the matter?" asks her mother, softly. Yani shakes her head vigorously, getting drops of soup all over the place. "No, no, no! Nothing's the matter," claims Yani. Her mother tilts her head.

"Yani, you know I want you to be happy," says her mother. Yani nods slowly. Her mother rests her hand on Yani's head. "I think you should go out and play with your friends and be happy. I can take care of myself." Yani's eyes widen and get watery, but she rubs them to prevent tears.

"Alright," says Yani, standing up, her bowl mostly empty now. Her mother smiles thoughtfully at her as she eases out of their home. "Have fun!" exclaims her mother, cheerfully. Yani sulks out the front door and heads into the forest.

Yani carefully examines the ground as she eases into each step she takes. The earth is green with moss and grass, and her gentle step excites numerous bugs hiding under rocks.

Small, white flowers are springing up from under the dense grasses, as well. They spot the dark green, appearing as stars in a dark sky at Yani's feet.

_Why doesn't mother understand,_ thinks Yani. She picks up a stick and begins peeling away the leaves. _I can help. I want her to be happy._

She tosses the stick into a bush once it's cleaned. She can hear some laughing and chatter a ways away. She brushes past large bushes and tree limbs that hang down in her face, getting dew in her hair and on her face. She wipes it away quickly. She pushes through one last bush, this one larger than most.

Her feet touch the warm sand, welcoming the feel of the grains between her toes, tickling her feet. Raena, Kyra, and Naga are off in the distance. Kyra notices her, and all three wave her over. "Come on, Yani!" yells Raena. "Where've you been!" yells Naga.

Yani looks at them, then remembers what her mother said: _"Play with your friends and be happy..."_ Yani swallows hard, then runs towards her friends, forcing a smile.


	6. United Danger

"Sorry I haven't been around, guys," Yani apologizes. Naga pats her on the back considerately. "It's fine, Yani. You've probably been busy, right?" says Naga. Yani's eyes squint a bit and her smile softens as she nods.

"You've missed quite a bit of training, too!" says Raena, throwing punches at the air in the circle. "It's been nearly a week." Yani turns to her with confidence. "I haven't lacked any time for study, Raena!" exclaims Yani, beginning to stride around in elegance.

The sand begins to rise in a twister around the group. Raena, Naga, and Kyra all stare in disbelief. Yani finally switches her footing and her movement patterns, and the wind follows.

The sand shapes into a dome around them, still circling about in excitement. Little gleams of light shine through holes in the dome, creating a light show with the sunlight. Whistling and howling can be heard as the air twists and turns at tremendous speeds around them.

Yani's expressive movements stop, and the sand tumbles gently to the ground. Her friends stand in awe, Raena and Kyra focused solely on Yani, their eyes large. Naga, however, is kneeling behind them, attempting to rub the sand out of his eyes.

"That was amazing, Yani!" screams Raena right in Kyra's ear. Kyra leans outwards to regain his ability to hear. "Yeah, that was really cool," he says, his palm pushing against the side of his head. "It hurts!" exclaims Naga, sniffling as the tears roll down his face.

Yani giggles, then shyly grabs her arm. Raena stomps around within the circle of the logs. "You ready to see what I can do?" she asks Yani. Yani nods instantly. Kyra folds his arms and stands back. Naga stumbles and falls face-first into the sand as he tries to escape the circle, still rubbing his eyes.

Raena clenches her fists and stands perfectly straight. She stomps the sand hard. A ball of clay and stone flies out from under the sand, spraying sand everywhere. She strides forwards and kicks the large clump towards a tree on the edge of the forest. It lands with precision, snapping the tree and causing it to fall.

"Heh heh, well I guess it's a bit powerful," says Raena somewhat apologetically. Kyra grins and steps into the circle. Raena smirks at him. "My turn," he says, nudging Raena a bit. She clears out of the way, stepping an extra few feet away from the logs. "I suggest you back up, too, Yani," she says, dragging Naga along through the sand.

Kyra inhales deeply, then exhales, flexing all of his muscles. Two flickers of orange flash before each of his hands. He moves his hands close together, but never touching, as though an invisible force were pushing his hands apart. The two sparks ignite between his fingers, creating a fireball.

He pulls his hands apart slowly, allowing the scorching hot inferno to grow. Just before it gets to his clothing, he yells ferociously into the fire, removing his hands. The ball of fire flies into the air, then explodes into numerous little flames that glimmer in the sky. They fade just a few feet above their heads, reaching the sand as cool ashes.

Yani stands, looking up in the air, fascinated by the glowing sparks of light and warmth as they disappear. Kyra and Raena smile at each other when they see Yani's eyes widen, reflecting the light like stars in her eyes.

Naga finally stands up, his eyes pink and sore. He moves to the water, rubbing his eyes occasionally on his way. "My turn!" he yells, frustrated with his eyes still. He jumps in the water and splashes about for a few moments. Out of the forest, three ruffled heads of hair stumble out.

"Don't push, Garze!" yells the kid who nearly falls. Yani, Raena, and Kyra all look to see what the commotion is. The three boys in the distance group tightly together, walking with confidence towards them. Naga continues splashing about, oblivious to the presence of the three strangers.

"Well, what do we have here?" questions the boy in the middle, his hair long and black, covering his eyes. "Some kids looking to play games splashing in the water?" they tease, laughing at Naga, who's still in the water. Naga hears laughter, so he looks up. He stares at the three kids, then dashes out of the water, his face as red as a tomato.

"What do you want, Garze?" asks Kyra, annoyed. Raena and Yani look at Kyra with suspicion. Garze pushes the kid from earlier with his elbow. "Tell them, Vern," he says. The kid turns to Garze, tilting his head. Garze sighs.

"Word around our village is that you're practicing magic tricks. Is that true, eh, Kyra?" asks Garze. Kyra lifts an eyebrow. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, really," he says. Garze strides forward, his face growing red.

"Your father said you pulled some stunt when he came for his stuff last week! He said you did some trick with the candle!" he yells in Kyra's face, spitting a little. Kyra wipes his face, his eyebrows tightening closer together.

"It wasn't a trick. That man knows nothing," says Kyra grimly. Garze snickers back to his crew and pats the third boy on the shoulder, whispering in his ear. The third boy puffs out his chest and steps in front of Kyra.

"What's the matter, Kyra? Your pappy making fun of your magic tricks making you feel bad?" asks the big guy in Kyra's face. Kyra's eyes burn with anger. He clenches his fists. Raena touches Kyra's sleeve in concern. "Don't do this, Aydn," says Kyra bluntly. "Do what?" asks the large boy.

Kyra lunges forward, his fist high and aiming for Aydn's face. Aydn quickly strikes Kyra in the chest, knocking him back into the circle. "Show us your magic, Kyra! We wanna see!" howls Garze. Kyra jumps back to his feet, dashing at Aydn again. "Don't do this, Kyra!" yells Yani.

Kyra misses Aydn when he hears her voice. Aydn elbows Kyra in the back, knocking him down into the sand with a 'Thud!'. Aydn places his foot on Kyra, celebrating his victory. Raena throws a handful of sand at Aydn's face. He stumbles back and knocks Garze and Vern over.

"Stop this!" she yells. Garze winces in anger. He stands up and brushes the sand away. "I still want to see a magic trick, Kyra," he says. "We'll be back, so make sure you have your act together." He and his posse walk off, back into the forest. Yani and Raena both kneel down to check on Kyra.

"Kyra! Are you alright!" yells Raena. Kyra coughs. "I'll be fine, just please quit yelling in my ear," he says. Raena and Yani sigh in relief. They help Kyra up as his arms shake vigorously as he tries to push himself up.

"Who were those jerks?" asks Naga, watching Raena and Yani help from within the circle. Yani glares at him. Kyra coughs again. "That was some gang of guys that follow my father around, causing trouble for others," he sputters. Raena and Yani get under each of his arms to support him.

"So that's how they know you?" asks Yani. Kyra nods in assurance. Raena sighs again. "Let's get you home," she says. They begin walking back to the forest. Naga stands in the circle, poking his pointer fingers together.

"So," he murmurs, "does this mean I don't get to show Yani my water abilities?"


	7. Fire and Ice

A large purple circle mirrors off of the still, reflective lake as Kyra leans forward, his shirt pulled up to his neck. He grunts angrily and sits back in the grass, letting his shirt drop.

A full moon is cast over the pool of water, lighting up the atmosphere with soft, white light. Little stars spot the sky, too, gleaming and shining in all different colors. Kyra lays back and begins to connect them into shapes in his head.

He shapes one group into an image of himself, and another bundle of stars into a long-haired person by his star-figure's side. He smiles as he pictures this in color in his head.

He's pulled from this fantasy as rustling in the nearby trees get him back up from his relaxed position. A few twigs snap, and Kyra leans forward, ready to leap. Naga pushes his way out of the tall grass, waddling over to the lake. He crouches at the edge, staring into it with fascination before sticking a finger in, forming a ripple of light that wanders to the other end, where Kyra is.

Naga notices Kyra as the ripple disappears. He paces his way over to his buddy and sits down next to him. "Hey," he whispers. "Hey," replies Kyra.

Naga sighs and turns to Kyra. "How're you doing? You know, from earlier?" asks Naga. Kyra pulls up his shirt and turns his torso to show Naga. Naga seems to hiss with uneasiness. Kyra pulls his shirt back down, and they both face the water.

"I feel I've tasted defeat again, Naga," says Kyra, his face in his knees. Naga pats his friend on the back sympathetically. "It's only a bruise, bud! Don't be so hard on yourself." Kyra looks up at his open palms, then clenches them. "It's not my body that hurts, it's my pride," Kyra laments.

Naga sighs and stands up, stepping over to the water's edge. He gestures to the water with his finger, calling it forward. A large blob of clear light snakes it's way out and hovers over Naga's head. He turns to Kyra, his finger in the air. "I was going to show this to Yani, earlier," he says glumly, but with a smile on his face.

Kyra stares at the spiraling water spout over Naga. Naga looks up at the water, his pointer finger still aiming at the space in the circle of water. Naga puts his finger back into a comfortable position and clenches his fist.

The water quits spinning and closes into a large ball over Naga, shivering as it suspends overhead. It crystalizes into solid matter, a ring of mist around it. Naga thrusts forth his other arm towards the ball, as though trying to hit it, then the ball shoots straight up into the air.

Naga bows, and a large explosion echoes above. He seats himself next to Kyra, who is staring at the now fuzzy sky. Naga holds out his hand, grasping a bit of air. "Kyra," he says, nudging Kyra with his elbow. He holds out his hand, a large white speck melting in his hand into water.

Kyra looks up again, the air around them a flurry. Naga sits back, amused by his own display. "Hey, Kyra," he begins, "why do you think we have these powers?" Kyra looks back at his palms, the snowflakes flying right through the gaps between his fingers. He doesn't respond, his eyes drooping.

"I think we have them for a reason, at least," says Naga. "Possibly to do good and bring balance to the fighting clans." Kyra's head falls back into his knees. "Yeah," he says, "bring justice." Kyra drifts off into the darkness of his own thoughts. He hears Naga sigh and tiptoe away as he falls into his dreams.

Kyra is at a fork in the road. A sign stands there, staring him in the eyes. One arrow points left, another right. The one pointing to the left says "Destruction". The arrow aiming right spells "Death".

"I don't want either of these," cries Kyra hysterically. He turns around to look down the path he came from. Images of his father appear, haunting the dirt road. He can feel all the pain and agony he once felt. His heart is pulled and his chest bears open.

Flames burst out in a rage, and Kyra turns to the sign again. His teeth are clenched, the cracks in his body seeping out blue flames. He turns to look down each path, then decides. He makes up his mind, and takes one step down the path. Then, a spiral of confusion.

Kyra awakes in a hot sweat, his breaths short and rapid. He grabs his forehead, then slows his pace. He sighs and falls back in the grass, thinking about his dream, his heart still pounding loud and hard. "I'm ready for calamity," he murmurs to himself.


End file.
